Landscaping
Gravel Calculator: Cubic Yards and Tons of Gravel You Need
Quick answer
Multiply area in square feet by depth in inches and divide by 324 for cubic yards, then multiply by about 1.4 for tons of typical gravel. A 10 by 20 foot path at 3 inches deep needs about 1.85 cubic yards, roughly 2.6 tons, and compacted crusher run needs about 15 percent extra.
Gravel is ordered by the cubic yard or by the ton, and bagged at the store by the half cubic foot, so the same job can be quoted three ways. Enter the area, depth and material, and the calculator returns cubic yards, tons, bags and how many trips it takes to move, including extra for materials that compact. For bed mulch or lawn soil, use the mulch calculator or the topsoil calculator.
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Jackson MP1010 10 cu ft Poly 2-Wheel Wheelbarrow
$689.94A contractor-size 10 cu ft poly tray on an all-steel undercarriage with two 16 inch pneumatic wheels, stable enough for big loads of mulch or leaves.
Best for: heavy, frequent loads
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Gorilla Carts Poly Dump Cart, 1,500 lb, 10 cu ft
$389.99A 10 cu ft, 1,500 lb poly cart whose handle converts to a hitch for a lawn tractor or ATV, with 16 inch pneumatic tires and quick-release dump.
Best for: hand-pull or tow hauling on mid-size properties
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Ohio Steel 4048P-HYB 15 cu ft Poly Swivel Hybrid Dump Cart
$558.13A 15 cu ft structural-foam bed rated to 1,250 lb with a foot-pedal swivel dump across 100 degrees, rotating hitch and 16 inch commercial tires.
Best for: heavy hauling on acreage
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True Temper 6 cu ft Steel Wheelbarrow with Never Flat Tire
$229.00A seamless steel tray with a sloped front for dumping, steel handles and a flat-free tire, shipped in one box for mulch, soil and stone.
Best for: general yard hauling
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Bully Tools 7-Gauge 16-Tine Stone Rake
$69.29A made-in-USA 7-gauge steel head, thicker than standard 10-gauge rakes, on a 66 in. fiberglass handle for spreading gravel and stone.
Best for: leveling gravel pads and paver base
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Bully Tools Steel Hand Tamper
$71.99A made-in-USA all-steel tamper with a 3/8 in. thick plate and 49 in. handle for compacting gravel base under pavers.
Best for: compacting paver base and post-hole backfill
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DeWitt Pro-5 Weed Barrier Fabric (6 x 250 ft.)
$156.99A 5 oz commercial woven fabric that passes air and water, resists tears during install and has alignment stripes every 12 in.
Best for: large beds and gravel paths that need long-term weed control
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Vodaland 2 in. GeoCell Gravel Grid (9 x 17 ft.)
$29.99A 2 in. deep perforated polyethylene geocell for pedestrian paths that keeps gravel from migrating, listed at 160 sq. ft. per section.
Best for: stable gravel walkways and patio bases
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Edge Right Hammer-In COR-TEN Steel Edging (5 x 48 in.)
$130.00Five 48 in. strips of 16-gauge COR-TEN steel with a rounded top and 6 in. depth that weathers to a rust patina and shrugs off string trimmers.
Best for: crisp permanent edges between lawn and gravel
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EasyFlex Heavy Duty No-Dig Edging Kit (100 ft.)
$44.37A 100 ft coil of 1.7 in. tall recycled plastic edging with 40 anchoring spikes that forms curves and tree rings without trenching.
Best for: quick curved bed borders without digging
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How much gravel do I need for my area?
| Area | 2 in | 3 in | 4 in | 6 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 sq ft | 0.62 yd, 0.9 t | 0.93 yd, 1.3 t | 1.23 yd, 1.7 t | 1.85 yd, 2.6 t |
| 200 sq ft | 1.23 yd, 1.7 t | 1.85 yd, 2.6 t | 2.47 yd, 3.5 t | 3.7 yd, 5.2 t |
| 300 sq ft | 1.85 yd, 2.6 t | 2.78 yd, 3.9 t | 3.7 yd, 5.2 t | 5.56 yd, 7.8 t |
| 500 sq ft | 3.09 yd, 4.3 t | 4.63 yd, 6.5 t | 6.17 yd, 8.6 t | 9.26 yd, 13 t |
| 1000 sq ft | 6.17 yd, 8.6 t | 9.26 yd, 13 t | 12.35 yd, 17.3 t | 18.52 yd, 25.9 t |
How much does a cubic yard of gravel weigh?
| Material | Tons per cubic yard | Pounds per cubic yard | Pounds per cubic foot | Half cubic foot bag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pea gravel | 1.35 tons | 2,700 lb | 100 lb | 50 lb |
| Crushed stone (3/4 in, #57) | 1.4 tons | 2,800 lb | 104 lb | 52 lb |
| Crusher run or road base | 1.5 tons | 3,000 lb | 111 lb | 56 lb |
| River rock | 1.35 tons | 2,700 lb | 100 lb | 50 lb |
| Decomposed granite | 1.3 tons | 2,600 lb | 96 lb | 48 lb |
| Lava rock | 0.6 tons | 1,200 lb | 44 lb | 22 lb |
How deep should gravel be?
| Project | Depth | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Garden path or walkway | 2 to 3 in pea gravel or decomposed granite | Over compacted soil and landscape fabric, with edging |
| Patio or fire pit area | 2 in top layer | Over 4 in of compacted crushed base |
| Driveway, new | 4 to 6 in base plus 2 to 3 in top layer | Build in compacted layers; a geotextile helps on soft soil |
| Driveway, refresh | 2 in top layer | Rake and regrade first |
| Drainage or French drain | Per drain design | Washed crushed stone wrapped in fabric |
| Decorative beds | 2 to 3 in | River rock or lava rock over woven fabric |
How is the gravel calculation done?
- Cubic yards = area in square feet x depth in inches / 324 (that is, square feet x depth / 12 / 27)
- With compaction = cubic yards x (1 + compaction allowance), about 10 percent for crushed stone and 15 percent for road base and decomposed granite
- Tons = cubic yards x density, about 1.3 to 1.5 tons per yard for most gravel
- Bags = cubic feet / 0.5 for common half cubic foot bags
A circular area uses 3.1416 x radius x radius for the square footage. For a driveway built in layers, run the calculator once for the base layer and once for the top layer, since they are usually different materials.
Can I haul gravel in a pickup truck or wheelbarrow?
Check the payload first. A cubic yard of gravel weighs about 2,700 to 3,000 pounds, which is more than the payload of many half-ton pickups, so one yard is often a full load and a compact truck may only carry half a yard. For more than a couple of yards, delivery is usually cheaper than multiple trips and safer for the truck. On site, a 6 cubic foot wheelbarrow filled with gravel is very heavy: fill it only halfway, or use a two-wheel barrow like the Jackson MP1010 10 cu ft Poly 2-Wheel Wheelbarrow or a dump cart such as the Gorilla Carts Poly Dump Cart, 1,500 lb, 10 cu ft rated for heavier loads. A steel stone rake like the Bully Tools 7-Gauge 16-Tine Stone Rake spreads gravel evenly, and a hand tamper such as the Bully Tools Steel Hand Tamper compacts small base areas. See wheelbarrow vs yard cart.
Do I need landscape fabric under gravel?
For paths, patios and decorative stone, yes: a woven barrier keeps gravel from sinking into the soil and slows weeds. Commercial-grade fabric such as the DeWitt Pro-5 Weed Barrier Fabric (6 x 250 ft.) lasts far longer under stone than thin spun fabric. For loose pea gravel paths, cellular stabilizer grids like the Vodaland 2 in. GeoCell Gravel Grid (9 x 17 ft.) hold stones in place and reduce ruts. Solid edging keeps gravel out of the lawn: steel edging such as the Edge Right Hammer-In COR-TEN Steel Edging (5 x 48 in.) or no-dig plastic edging both work. See the best landscape edging.
Frequently asked questions
How many tons of gravel do I need for a driveway?
For a 12 by 50 foot driveway refreshed with 2 inches of gravel, you need about 2.2 cubic yards, roughly 3 tons. Building a new driveway with 4 inches of compacted base plus 2 inches of top stone needs about 5 to 5.5 cubic yards in total, around 7 to 8 tons. Order base and top layers separately, and add 10 to 15 percent for compaction.
How much area does a ton of gravel cover?
A ton of typical gravel at about 1.4 tons per cubic yard is roughly 0.71 cubic yards. At 2 inches deep that covers about 115 square feet, at 3 inches about 77 square feet, and at 4 inches about 58 square feet. Lighter materials such as lava rock cover much more area per ton, so always check the weight of the specific product.
How many bags of gravel equal a yard?
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so it takes 54 half cubic foot bags to equal one yard of gravel. That is typically well over a ton of bagged stone. For anything more than about a quarter to half a yard, bulk delivery is usually far cheaper per yard than bags, even after a delivery fee.
What is the best gravel for a walkway?
Pea gravel is comfortable to walk on and drains well but shifts underfoot, so it works best with edging and a stabilizer grid. Decomposed granite or fine crushed stone with dust compacts into a firmer surface that is easier for wheelbarrows and older walkers. Crushed stone of about 3/8 inch locks together better than rounded stone. Use 2 to 3 inches over compacted soil and landscape fabric.
Should gravel be compacted?
Base layers for driveways, patios and paver bases should be compacted in lifts of about 2 to 4 inches with a plate compactor or hand tamper. Angular crushed stone and road base compact well; rounded pea gravel and river rock do not compact meaningfully and are used as loose top layers. Plan extra material for compaction on base layers.
Researched, not professional advice. This page is compiled from published specifications, manuals, labels and owner-review consensus, not hands-on testing. Follow the manufacturer's instructions and product label, and consult a qualified professional where safety, chemicals, fuel or structures are involved. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.